Judges 13-15: Righteous Sight

The verses that stick out to me are those referring to Samson's eyes and how what he gazes upon eventually gets him into a heap of trouble.

Judges 14:2-3
Amplified Bible (AMP)

"And he came up and told his father and mother, I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.

But his father and mother said to him, Is there not a woman among the daughters of your kinsmen or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she is all right in my eyes."


Skipping ahead to chapter 16, Samson continues to use his sight to feed his flesh.


Judges 16:1
Amplified Bible (AMP)

"THEN SAMSON went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her."


Finally, Samson loses his eyes by the hand of his enemies, the Philistines.


Judges 16:21
Amplified Bible (AMP)

"But the Philistines laid hold of him, bored out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with [two] bronze fetters; and he ground at the mill in the prison."


But more is going on here then just the misuse and loss of physical sight. I believe Samson's spiritual sight also was being negatively affected as Samson misused his God-given gift of sight.

What was Samson thinking when he became involved with a harlot from Gaza or with Delilah?  Spiritual sight would have instructed him to steer clear of these women.

The story ends not only in the death of many Philistines, but also the death of Samson. I am convinced that if Samson would have made a covenant with his eyes, God would have used Samson in another way to bring destruction to Israel's enemies, one that didn't result in his death.

Job 31:1-3
Amplified Bible (AMP)

"I DICTATED a covenant (an agreement) to my eyes; *how then could I look [lustfully] upon a girl?

For what portion should I have from God above [if I were lewd], and what heritage from the Almighty on high?


Does not calamity [justly] befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity?"



By Your Spirit, teach us how to use Your God-given gift of sight, knowing that our gaze affects our soul and our spiritual sight. There are always consequences for unrighteousness and sin, full grown ends in death. Thank You, Jesus, for sending Your Spirit to guide and empower us and for taking the eternal consequences of sin through Your sacrifice on the cross. In Jesus' name, Your Beloved. AMEN!!!

*This goes both ways, ladies.  We also must use our sight righteously!